Since 2005 WECA has convened workshops, forums and facilitated community consultations regarding the future urban development of West End and South Brisbane, including the Kurilpa Point. Those many thousands of hours of input have informed WECA's subsequent submissions and key vision documents.

With the input and encouragement of our membership WECA will continue to advocate for a better Brisbane, please RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP to WECA so we can work together to create a better Brisbane.

04.08.14 -
7th Kurilpa Derby: 1pm Sunday 7th September

WECA is well on its way in making preparations for the 7th Kurilpa Derby. Initial contact has been made with local police and key stakeholders.The parade will run the same course as years previous, assembly from 1pm under the Dornoch Terrace bridge on Boundary Street. With fun stuff held in road closure section between Vulture and Russell Streets from 2-5pm.

As always the event will be fully permitted (both Council and police) and insured.

But we need your help! We need 12 volunteers to assist with marshaling the parade and helping out with the event festivities down on Boundary St. Please contact Event Director, Darren at d_godwell@hotmail.com or PM West End Community Association on facebook

29.07.14 -
Kurilpa Riverfront-BCC update on Masterplan

KURILPA RIVERFRONT MASTERPLAN

25 hectares with over 1,000m of prime riverfront-this is West End's back yard. It includes what was formerly listed as the Riverside Parks Masterplan and the former Peel Street Structure Plan.

City Council and the state government have been working together on the proposed redevelopment of the area stretching from the Cultural Centre precinct south along Montague Road down to Mollison Street since early 2013. The update on that exercise has just been released to the public, a copy can be found here

16.03.14 -
A Park on Bailey St? Resumptions in Rogers St?

The mystery of the next park in West End remains

WECA's new management committee is working with our members, and new members, from along Rogers Street to get a straight answer to the question on everyone's lips: where is the park being located? And why has City Council refused to clear-up the apparent clerical error of locating the park over existing homes in Rogers Street?

To date, local Councillor Abrahams has flagged resumptions of homes on the higher-ground of Rogers Street. Lord Mayor Quirk has said the spot is actually Bailey Street. And Parks Chairman Cr Peter Matic is refusing to rule-out resumptions nor confirm that actual site.

WECA President Erin Evans has reinforced the key demand from WECA members in the affected area-"can someone in City Council please set the record straight, once and for all."

WECA is creating a working group to steer our engagement, it is open to all WECA members, please email info@weca.org.au to register your interest.

24.07.13 -
G20 Preparations - 15/16th Nov 2014

Qld Police have begun community engagement for next year's G20 Meeting in Brisbane. Please check WECA's Facebook page for the most up-to-date links. In the first instance you can register with Qld Police to receive information, call them on 3015 3432.

UPDATE: More good news to report. Energex have replaced the yellow bulbs in all the streetlights along Melbourne St and up along Boundary St into West End. The white light has significantly improved visibility. Congrats to those couple of hundred people that attended the rally last year. This is more evidence of your efforts.

16Oct2011-Thanks in part to the rally for the Safer Streets (organised by WECA members) the street lights in Manning Street, South Brisbane have been improved, made brighter and are more reliable. This small step goes some way to improving safety on our streets. Thanks to each of you that participated in the rally to make this public statement of support for safer streets.

27.07.11 -
Cities rethink Urban Spaces

'Pop-up' urban planning gives cities the freedom to experiment with projects on a temporary basis, allowing innovative ideas a trial run..Cities around the world are embracing the idea..any ideas for West End?read full article

An act of unity as we carry lights (candles, lanterns, torches) to support people who have survived violence including sexual violence.

This event is open to all people that value respect,diversity and community. Illuminate the darkness between Manning Street & Russell Street and to support our efforts to avert the silence and stop the violence!

This community event is intended to remind Council to honour their commitment to return Riverside Park to the people but removing the illegal road. Full flyer is here

06.05.11 -
Bicycles 5 Times More Worthy than Cars

The small area of public space required for bike parking suggests that each square metre allocated to bike parking generates $31 per hour, compared to $6 generated for each square metre used for a car parking space, with food/drink and clothing retailers benefiting the most from bike riders...read full study here

More people in West End use bicycles, regularly & to commute, than any other neighbourhood in Brisbane. Are local business missing out on valuable sales because they dont have sufficient bike racks in front of their shop?

13.12.10 -
$23.8 million reasons for better neighbourhood

Did you know that last year the City Council took over $23.8million in rates out of the suburbs of West End, South Bris and Highgate Hill? This was just one years worth of council rates. And next year they'll take more.

WECA regularly supports better planning outcomes that improve amenity, initiatives that make streets safer, appropriate redevelopment, more and better green and open space. We give you our commitment to continue suppotring better outcomes.

Can anyone explain why Council suspended the implementation of the West End Riverside Parks masterplan in 2010 with these rivers of revenues pouring in the door?...read the story here

28.09.10 -
WECA Submission re Draft LAP

you can find WECA's submission here for the second round of community input to the draft amendments to the West End-Woolloongabba Local Area Plan.

22.09.10 -
Compare the difference Palmview vs West End LAPs

This week the Sunshine Coast Council revealed an impressive draft plan to accommodate an extra 14,000 residents in a new development at Sippy Downs. It's a contrast to Bris City Council's proposed amendments to the West End LAP...click here to see table...for an extra 14,000 people Palmview is getting:

2 new primary schools

1 new high school

1 extra police station

large amounts of new green space

14% of developeable land will be for community, sport & rec use, and

min 12.5% of dwellings will be for affordable housing.

Brisbane City Council is proposing an additional 89,000 people with no provision of similiar infrastructure. The proposed amendments and draft proposals made by Council are deficient and pose a threat to liveability.

02.09.10 -
WECA Briefings re draft LAP

WECA is preparing a series of community briefings on the draft Local Area Plan. These will be a maximum of 30mins in duration and designed to give you just the facts.

These WECA community briefings will be scheduled across early September to give people opportunity to learn of the dominant features of this proposal from city council.

WECA is also preparing a constructive initiative to give locals an honest and open process that recognises your right to have a fair dinkum say over the future development of your streets and neighbourhood. STAY TUNED AND STAY IN TOUCH.

04.08.10 -
WECA's Vision-a truly urban neighbourhood

[originally posted 22 September 2009]....WECA's vision for South Brisbane can be found here. Collated from years of community input on planning and sustainable urban development.

WECA sees an opportunity in South Brisbane to develop a truly urban neighbourhood that is predominantly residential and mixed-use within a medium-density and medium-rise (5-8 storeys) built form.

Key provisions must include:

affordable housing outcomes,

sufficient open and green space for the increased population,

zoning for regular retail to meet the needs of regular neighbourhoods, and

provision of civic spaces to sustain community life including schools, child care, day care, aged care and social services.

03.08.10 -
Vision for future of The Gabba:Cr Abrahams

WECA commends Cr Abrahams for charting her vision for the development, not destruction, of the suburbs within the Gabba ward. You can review Cr Abraham's document here.

08.06.10 -
Develop Don't Destroy Kurilpa

"developers simply supplied too much of the wrong product in the wrong location." -this observation is the central premise for a new article that can be read here. Could the same claim be true of Brisbane and the SEQ corner? The article also makes a case for YIMBY's....for the record, WECA members continually support sustainable development that advances our community and community planning that creates better planning outcomes.

Ever wondered of the full impact of population increases as proposed by Brisbane City Council? For example; what about mobility impacts of such a population proposal --how many extra cars? what would be the most efficient mode of transport? how many extra trips does moving 70,000 workers into and out of Kurilpa each morning and afternoon create? And why aren't these answers outlined in BCC's document?

------a transport expert has offered WECA some insight, this will be posted out to WECA Members shortly....not a Member? Join us to find out.

21.12.09 -
4,664 People Want Better Urban Development

Local Leadership over Local Development

(21Dec2009) Once again residents and friends of West End have demonstrated their clear views on the neighbourhood's continued development consistent with principles of local leadership, sustainability and liveability. This latest exercise with BCC attracted 4,664 people with their input through submissions and petition...this is more than any other neighbourhood in the city.

Sadly the latest draft, is little changed from the earlier version, you can see Council's update here. There remains no protections for heritage buildings, no provision of adequate open space, and no needs based assessment of providing for the nearly 100,000 extra people.

This planning exercise is turning into a test of Council's Urban Planning Chairperson Cr Amanda Cooper's leadership. To date there is little evidence of improvements since the Mayor's pronouncement in March 2009, months before the public had a chance to review draft documents. Nor has Council made publicly available its secret planning documents. Both setbacks are undermining public confidence in the process.

06.04.09 -
Flood & Fire Fundraiser - over $2,000 raised

Congrats to all those that lent a hand to the Fire & Flood Fund-raiser held on last Saturday night (4 April) at Ahimsa House. Another great effort as locals, neighbours, artists and supporters raised over $2,000. A great effort for a great pair of causes-thanks to all.

17.07.14 -
Its our 10th Birthday!!

The West End Community Association was formally incorporated in 2004. So its officially our tenth birthday but there's much more to the story. And WECA is asking people that might have been about in the years before incorporation to please contact us via emailor contact anyone on the Management Committee.

We're preparing for a celebration later in the year, about October. Thanks

20.03.14 -
Plans remain unlcear-City Council needs to clarifiy position

The eventual location of the promised parklands along Montague Road should be clearly declared by City Council. Speculation about deal-making with developers Pradella and Stockwell is not helping. A couple of key documents have been shared with WECA members: an outline of who owns what where; a copy of City Council's Local Area Plan map identifying new parkland near Bailey St and a further map of proposed developments by Pradella and Stockwell free of any park designation.

To date WECA is working with its members and community interests on the matter. WECA President issued a media statement calling on the Lord Mayor and city council to clarify the situation, read press release here You can also review a full description and outline of the issue back on this site's Campaign page

18.06.13 -
Kurilpa Derby Back in 2013

WECA is most pleased to announce that preparations have begun for the 6th Kurilpa Derby!!